MEET THE DENTAL STAFF
As a practice, we want to make every patient feel comfortable. Therefore, we would like to introduce our friendly staff who you will meet during your visits and who would be more than happy to answer your questions as they arise -- whether it is during your visit, on your way home, or even minutes before a procedure.

Pat, Office Manager, 27 years of experience.

Teri, Registered Dental Hygienist, 20 years experience.

Kim, Registered Dental Assistant, 5 years experience

FAQ'S
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS TO THE STAFF:

What is a hygienist? Dental hygienists are specially trained and licensed to work with the dentist in providing care to the patient and preventive dental services. They play an important role in dental healthcare and are mainly concerned with gum health, education in correct home care, and the application of preventive materials to the teeth and gums, such as cleaning the teeth and taking x-rays.

Hygienists receive intensive, specialized education and training that includes courses in chemistry, head and neck anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, nutrition, pharmacology, advanced dental sciences, and dental hygiene. Prior to graduation, hygienists must complete hundreds of hours of supervised instruction in clinical practice.

What is the hygienist's role in the practice? Their most important role is help prevent gum disease. The hygienist will thoroughly clean all surfaces of your teeth, removing plaque, tartar, and stains from above and below your gum line (the point where your teeth meet your gums). They will evaluate the health of your gums, and may be involved with the specialized treatment of advanced gum disease, which includes procedures such as scaling and root planing. Your hygienist will also teach you how to effectively care for your teeth at home to help you prevent decay and periodontal disease.

Can a hygienist help prevent dental disease? The training of the hygienist is centered around preventing dental disease. Carefully removing the deposits that build up on the teeth (tartar) and teaching you how to prevent it from forming again will go a long way to slowing the progress of gum disease. By discussing your diet and recommending other preventive measures your decay rate can also be reduced.

Will the treatment hurt? Scaling and polishing is usually pain-free. However, if you do experience some discomfort, the hygienist can eliminate this with the use of topical anesthetic creams or by giving you some local anesthetic. It is important that you let the hygienist know at that time so that some pain control can be given.

What does the Dental Office Manager do? The dental office manager is the one that runs the office. From scheduling patients, processing payments and dental benefits, making sure all the employees are paid, talking with patients on the phone to ordering all the items needed in the office. A good office manager is an incredible asset to the dental office and helps run the entire office smoothly.

What does the Dental Assistant do? The dental assistant is a valuable part of any successful dentist office. The assistant provides support to both the dentist and the dental hygienist. Generally, the dental assistant is charged with responsibilities that may be considered small but are in fact very necessary to the function of the practice. Essentially, the dental assistant handles a number of little details, thus freeing the dental operators in the office to focus on direct patient care.

One of the more common tasks associated with the dental assistant is the preparation of the patient care areas of the office. The assistant will make sure that all instruments are kept in proper working order, are kept sterilized, and are laid out properly for use by the dentist or dental hygienist. In addition, the assistant will also make sure that medication, bibs, and other essentials intended to make the patient more comfortable are prepared and ready for use. Preparation of the patient care areas may also include such basics as cleaning and dusting the space, as well as mopping the floors.

Behind the scenes, the dental assistant also often takes care of developing the radiographs that are taken by the dental operators in the office. Often, these are placed with other pertinent information about a patient, so the care provider can have a complete record of the health status of the patient. Along with preparing the radiographs, a dental assistant also often is able to prepare materials for temporary fillings and other tasks under the direction of the dentist or hygienist.

A dental assistant may also be present during a dentistry procedure as well. Often, the assistant will aid in retracting tissue or suctioning an area so the dental operator can have a clearer field of vision. Also, the assistant often hands the operator requested equipment during the procedure, allowing the operator to focus on the task at hand. It is not unusual for the dental assistant to also handle charting responsibilities once a procedure is completed, or the dentist renders a diagnosis.

I'm afraid to go to the dentist, but I know I should. What can I do? Don't put it off any longer. Make a call to our friendly staff or e-mail Dr. Cruz and tell them about your fears. By developing a relationship with us, you are also involving yourself with your treatment plan. We can discuss options to help you control and decide your own treatment and techniques to help you relax and feel more comfortable during your visit.

What about my children, at what age do they first see a dentist? This varies with the child. Age 3 is typically a good age to have them come in with Mom or Dad and sit in the chair. If they will allow us to count their teeth, they will usually cooperate enough to have their first "official" visit. However, we will never suggest doing anything that might create stress in the mind of the child. Trauma at a young age can carry over to adulthood (as you may well know). If you wish to have your child seen prior to age 3, we may refer you to a pediatric dentist. Just a preventive reminder, never let your child fall asleep with a bottle in his/her mouth containing milk or juice…only water.

My breath needs help and I brush everyday. Is it just me or is there something you can do to help? It could, indeed, be your own imagination. This makes up about 10% of those who feel their breath needs help. However, if you are in the other 90%, there are various things we would suggest. First, there could be a health condition that contributes. If you have not had a recent physical with your physician of choice, we highly recommend it. Next, we need to consider your tongue. It harbors 85% of the bacteria in your mouth, and if not cleaned regularly, volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) can proliferate and create an odor you are uncomfortable with. Regular tongue scraping with an instrument made for that task is helpful.

Do I really have to floss every day? Yep. Actually, you don't HAVE to, but if you want our advice, just get in the habit. You will keep your teeth longer, and it has been shown to increase your life expectancy by over 6 years! (If Oprah said it, it must be true)

I've always been nervous about getting x-rays. Are there any dangers? Do you have any way to cut down on the amount of radiation you use on me? Realistically, x-rays are relatively harmless at the doses that are used in dentistry. However, we understand any concern you may have, and have therefore embraced the newest player in this arena. Digital radiography has come of age, and we are pleased to offer it in our office. It decreases the amount of radiation absorbed by 80-90%, but to be honest, we are more thrilled with the diagnostics it provides. We can blow the image up on our monitor, enhance the resolution, and search for abnormalities with many tools available.